The Hawks women’s basketball team was distraught walking off their home court. Several players in tears. Including sophomore guard Amaya Jiao.
The emotions stemmed from a 66-65 defeat to the Ohlone Renegades on Feb.14. Losses haven’t been rare — it was their 10th in a row.
What made this one sting was the battle the Hawks put up. Their sorrow was rooted in what a win would have meant for them. Playoffs were already well out of reach. But it was Sophomore Night.
“I really want to get a win on Sophomore Night,” assistant coach Ashley Hart said. “I really, really, really want them to get that win.”
With 1.8 seconds and possession, the Hawks had a chance to steal it. They turned to Jiao. Catching the ball in the left corner, she put up a hurried jumper, only for it to be blocked by Renegade defender Thadar Set. Her game-winner never reached the rim.
“It sucks to lose like that,” Jiao said. “But at the same time, it’s a privilege to feel pressure. It’s a privilege to be in a close game like that, especially after the season that we’ve had… so to be in a tight game like that, it’s a gift.”
The Hawks season is a continuation of long-term struggles. Since taking a two-year hiatus after the COVID pandemic, they are 13-62. Following the loss to the Renegades, the team got back to getting blown-out, losing 94-45 to Skyline. Currently, they are on an 11-game losing streak with a 32.9 average margin of defeat.
The last time the Hawks posted double-digit wins in a season was 2015-16. This year, the team is on pace for the program’s second-fewest victories in a season in the last decade.
The progress from a season ago produced higher expectations. Despite only winning six games, the team seemed to be on an upward trajectory heading into this season.
But the Hawks had a tumultuous summer. A coaching change, key sophomores leaving and a late start to recruitment proved to be a setback.
When the practices began, the problems worsened. The new coaching staff, led by head coach Tracey Walker, dealt with players they felt were uncommitted to the program. Some were kicked-off the team while others chose to leave.
They tried to implement their own style of play while attempting to deliver a competitive product with a smaller squad than they anticipated. Playing most games with one bench option made the latter nearly impossible.
Walker and Hart figured the losses were coming. They set their eyes on trying to formulate an identity for the program — one that prioritizes making their players better on and off the court.
“Basketball is our focus,” Walker said, “but basketball is not going to last forever, so we have to be able to hit certain things for our program that we want to do in order for us to feel like we accomplished something. We all love to win, but I know that it’s bigger than that.”
Expectations stemmed from a successful 2023-24 campaign. The team featured sophomore guard Kierstin Constantino, who was named an All-American Honorable Mention. Freshman forward Joyce Mulumba finished second in rebounds in the nation. Her and freshman guard Kyshanti King, who scored 20 points per game, were set to bear the torch for the Hawks.
Then, head coach Caleb Theadore left to coach at Sacramento City College. In his suitcase he fit both Mulumba and King with him. It left the Hawks scrambling.
“Since coach Caleb left it’s been a rough season for our sophomores,” Sophie Fletcher, a sophomore center said. “We started with 13, now we are down to five or six in a game, so it’s pretty rough for us sophomores still standing.”
A major effect of Theadore leaving was the Hawks recruitment. It required Walker, who was promoted from assistant coach, to attempt to find late commitments.
Once they had their roster seemingly set, the summer practices led to deeper issues. The coaches felt certain players failed to meet their principles.
“At the beginning of the season, we were all under the same impression that we are gonna be committed, we were gonna show up, we were gonna do things as a team,” Walker explained. “Sometimes people don’t know how to hold themselves accountable. So that does impact team camaraderie.”
Sophomores Sydney Breckenridge and Chantal Hanna were kicked off the team, while freshman Tayondee Kelley left to pursue music. Mi’ari Garnett played in the fall semester but hasn’t in the spring while Kalani Soriano is dealing with an injury.
Now, with the roster thinned-out, some practices only see three players participating. It forces them to focus on individual improvement rather than working on team issues. They lack the ability to rest their players during game, causing their play to drop-off in the second-half.
For Jiao, a smaller roster doesn’t only bring problems.
“It’s allowed us to get to know each other in a way that bigger teams don’t,” Jiao said. It’s allowed us to have tough conversations and sometimes that can be hard in a big team.”
Along with fostering that connection, Walker and Hart set out a goal to have each of their players leave the program with more confidence. They hold workshops that are mostly designed and run by Hart to teach their players about life, with things like resilience, attitude, body language, communication, and how to work well with different personalities.
“My hope is that the girls still walk away better people,” Hart said. “That they still learn from this and still walk away with the love of basketball, not because of what our record says, but what the lessons have taught them.”
Despite the losses, the Hawks feel they have established an identity. They describe themselves as gritty — a team that despite low numbers and one-sided scores always fights. They showcased that grit against the Renegades, despite falling short.
Walker and Hart, who both plan on being back next season, believe that this was a difficult first step to future success.
“I hope that we can grow from this,” Hart said. “I hope this is just a stepping stone and that we can keep going up after this.”
Walker added: “I think we are moving in the right direction. If we can get some good recruits, I think we can go up from here.”
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TOP PHOTO: Amaya Jiao is consoled after a game. It’s been a tumultuous season for the Hawks women’s basketball team. (Photo by Alan Lewis/ The Express)
Jakob Arnarsson is the Managing Editor and Sports Editor of The Express. Follow him on X, formally Twitter, @JakobA2004
